The German paper Bild reports that special forces stormed a house in Bernau in Brandenburg on Saturday . An apartment in a high-rise building in Sankt Augustin (North Rhine-Westphalia) was also searched.
The target of the raid was a 28-year-old Libyan man with ties to ISIS. According to the report, he had planned to attack the Israeli embassy in Berlin. The suspected terrorist is said to have entered Germany in November 2022. In January 2023, he applied for asylum. Only eight months later, on September 28, 2023, his application was rejected and he was to be deported to Libya. Nevertheless, nothing happened; the Libyan has lived undisturbed in Bernau until now.
The raid was based on intercepted messages supplied by a foreign intelligence service, although German authorities would not say what country had supplied the information. As part of the arrest, cell phones and other digital media were confiscated.
NRW Interior Minister Herbert Reul told Bild: "The security of Jewish institutions is our top priority. This raid today was a success - but at the same time it is also a warning to those who want to threaten Jewish life in Germany: We are on your trail!"
Israel's ambassador to Germany, Ron Prosor, commented on the report: "Muslim anti-Semitism is no longer just a rhetoric of hate but is leading and encouraging terrorist activities around the world. This is another example of the fact that Israel's embassies are on the front lines of the diplomatic battlefield. I wish to congratulate the law enforcement authorities in Germany who are working around the clock to ensure the safety of Israel's official representatives."